Cheswill’s former coach is proud of his Olympic selection

Lambton resident and long jump star Cheswill Johnson is part of the team that is representing South African at the Tokyo Olympics that started last week.
The 23-year-old logistics student at the University of Johannesburg qualified for the Olympic Games when he leapt to 8.27m at the Athletics Gauteng North Bestmed Tuks Track and Field meeting in Pretoria on February 27.
GCN spoke to his old coach who discovered the young talent, John Diamond.
Diamond is the founder of the Diamond Athletic Club and also the president of the Germiston Local Sports Confederation.
He said they are proud of Johnson and how far he has come.
“My wife Maria and I have made it our mission to allow youngsters to use their athletic talents to excel in life. To see Cheswill being part of the Olympic team is a proud moment for the Diamonds,” said John.
He said the club aims to identify talent and ensure that they reach their full potential.
“We have an eye for talent to identify who has the potential to be a medal contender. We call them unicorns and Cheswill performed exceptionally well – he has real talent. We noticed him at school meetings and we knew he had the talent and needed to be nurtured,” said John.
He said Cheswill has invested in his athletic career and now he is enjoying the results.
“Cheswill is a beacon of hope for many young athletes who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Dedication, with the right attitude and excellent coaching, can take an athlete far.”